AN- All characters are the property of Charlaine Harris.

"Come Sookie," Eric said pulling her up, "we are done here."

When they had gotten into the car Sookie turned to Eric, "I would like an explanation as to why that had to happen."

Before he said anything he probed the bond to see if she was angry with him. When he was satisfied that she was mostly curious and slightly irritated, he began. "Vampires are a nasty group Sookie. They are cruel and think only of themselves. When a vampire chooses to prefer a human, that human is typically referred to as a pet. They do not treat their pets with any amount of respect. Humans are seen as entertainment and food. Never more. You, of course, are not a pet. But you must appear as one. At least for the time being..." He turned away from her, he was ashamed of how he had treated her.

"Don't turn away from me. Don't be ashamed of who you are. I only wanted to know why. It was very embarrassing for me. In front of Pam was bad enough, but that was something else. Is that how we will be expected to act from now on?" She did not want to go through that every time she wanted to be with Eric.

"No Sookie, I was establishing our relationship in the minds of the vampires. If I had shown you any affection they would have seen me as weak. And they would have used you against me. They still might...And I needed Bill Compton to think that you were not just a fang-banger that I would toss aside for him to gather up. He had to think that you were a valued pet. Someone I would never give up. The fact that I have never once taken a pet was not lost on those vampires. Bill had to see you willingly give yourself totally to me. What he is not aware of is how totally I have given myself to you. I am in your hands as much as you are in my hands. What if you had chosen to tell me to 'go fuck myself' as you put it earlier? My weakness would have been readily apparent and Bill would have snatched you from me in an instant. And losing you is something that will cripple me in a way you could not imagine. I lost you once, I will not lose you again." Eric hoped that she believed him and understood his reasons.

"Everybody dies Eric," she said without thinking.

"I don't Sookie."

"No," she said sadly, "you don't."

"Do you want this life my love? I would not deny it from you." He tried to read her emotions, but they were jumbled up.

"I hadn't thought about it until now. I do not welcome death Eric. Despite the fact that I throw myself at a vampire with no regard for whether he will drain me dry." She knew once she said it that she shouldn't have. She could feel how much it had hurt Eric.

Instead of replying, Eric was silent. Tonight had been too intense, too fast. He had been behaving on instinct. It was dangerous and he knew it. She needed space, needed to think. He needed to get Sookie home to her Gran.

Neither one of the spoke for the rest of the trip. Sookie could see that he was not taking her back to his house in Shreveport and it hurt her. She loved her Gran, but she found she did not want to separated from Eric.

"I do not want to go to Gran's house Eiríkr," her voice was shaking.

"I know Aude," he stroked her hair trying to calm her down. "But Sookie needs time. It is a lot to deal with in such a short time. We only just met and she needs to search her feelings. Be strong for me Aude. Know that I do not leave you because I want to. I leave you so that I might keep you."

Tears were streaming down her face as they pulled up to the old farmhouse. Eric picked her up like a small child and carried her inside. Her grandmother was long asleep and he silently made his way to Sookie's room. He laid her gently down on her bed, brushing her hair away from her tear covered face. He shushed her quietly and kissed away her tears. He held her close to him until he was sure she was sleeping.

Sookie awoke the next morning to find that during the night Eric must have taken off the beautiful dress and shoes that she had been wearing. She was now in one of her nightgowns and the dress was hung neatly in her closet with the shoes on the floor. Her eyes spied something on her nightstand. She reached down and picked up a length of what she could only describe as ribbon. It was made of black silk and it had a very intricate pattern of raised gold. The pattern resembled interlocking S shapes and it ran the entire length of the ribbon. She instinctively ran to the bathroom and wrapped it around her head as a band. She tied it in the back and it trailed down the back of her hair. The craftsmanship that had gone into this simple ribbon was exquisite. She turned her head side to side examining it carefully.

"Sookie is that you?" She forgot she hadn't even seen her Gran in awhile.

"Yes Gran, I'm sorry I've been gone for so long."

"Well it's almost lunch time let me fix you something to eat." She could hear her grandmother moving into the kitchen.

She took off the head band and took a quick shower. She would have to be at Merlotte's before too long so she just put on her work clothes. When her hair was completely dry she parted off the top of it and braided it. Then she put the beautiful head band back on and concealed the knot with the braid. When she was satisfied that it looked right, she headed to the kitchen. She realized how hungry she really was. Eric didn't have any food at his house, something he had promised to rectify. He had stopped somewhere on the way to Fangtasia thankfully but it was not enough. She was not eating and she realized that she had substituted his blood for food. Maybe she did welcome death after all...

Adele looked up to see the troubled expression on Sookie's face. "What's the matter Sookie?"

"Oh nothing Gran, I just realized that I had slept the day away." Her grandmother did not need to know that Sookie had inadvertently flung herself at death by simply not eating.

"Well I imagine that's what its like to spend time with a vampire dear. Did you have a good time with Eric? Sam, bless his heart, was so worried about you. He's called me twice today already to see if you were okay." Adele was worried about Sookie too, but she tried not to show it.

Sookie sighed and sank down in a chair at the table. "I don't expect anyone to understand Gran. I know I will have to tell Sam about Eric, I'm just not lookin forward to it. And yes, I had a wonderful time with Eric. I hate to say it, but I didn't want to leave him. I love you Gran but I don't know if I belong her anymore." She hazarded a look at her Gran.

"Does he feel the same way Sookie? Despite all of this past-life stuff, you only just met him. Don't you think you should give it some time before you make such a huge decision?" She hated to see Sookie jump into something so quickly. Though, to her shame, she understood what a gorgeous man could do to a woman.

Sookie jumped out of her seat, "WHAT! What was that Gran? What have you been hiding for so long from even me?"

"Oh Sookie," Adele fell into a nearby chair, "you weren't supposed to hear that."

"Well, I'm sorry Gran. I'm exhausted and hungry and I can't keep my shields up. Am I just supposed to pretend that I didn't hear that?"

"No dear. Here sit down and eat," she motioned to the food. "I will tell you my story. I suppose it's time you heard the truth."

Adele had not ever thought that she would share her secret with anyone. She only hoped that Sookie would understand her reasons. "You are not the only woman to fall for a beautiful man Sookie. Some time after I married your grandfather I learned that he could not have children. He had contracted mumps as an adult and the doctors told him that it was unlikely that he would ever have children. I loved him with all my heart and I told him that it did not matter...But it did, I wanted children dearly."

Sookie watched as Adele got up and poured them each some sweet tea. "Your grandfather was away on business and I knew that he would not be back for a few days. I was in the backyard beatin a rug and a man walked out of the woods and simply asked for a drink of water. The moment I saw him I knew I was in trouble. He was like your Eric except instead of moon and stars, he was sun and blue sky. I got him the water and we started talkin. We sat on the porch swing and talked for hours. I don't know how or why but I felt safe around him. Normally some strange man wanders up and I run to get a gun or something. He had a silver tongue and I suspect he coulda talked any woman into whatever he wanted. His name was Fintan and he told me that he could give me the children that Mitchell couldn't. He explained that he had been watching me for some time and he knew that I had wanted children. I was so charmed by him and it wasn't til later that I found out that it was on account of him being a Fairy. I didn't love him like I loved your grandfather but I was attracted to Fintan in a way that I found I could not control." Adele stopped to dab away the tears that had escaped her. "Fintan is your biological grandfather Sookie. And he later came back to give me a daughter as well."

Sookie sat in shock, she couldn't even bring herself to touch her food regardless of how hungry she was. "Did grandpa know?"

"I'm sure he did. But he loved me and he never asked about it. He wanted children just as badly as I had. As soon as he saw those babies he was lost. He loved them as if they were his own."

"Fairies exist too huh? I guess that shouldn't surprise me. Not after Eric." She looked at her food and grudgingly started eating. She needed her strength regardless of what was going on with her emotionally. "You think I'm moving too fast with Eric, letting myself fall to some spell he has over me. Like you did with Fintan." It wasn't a question, she already knew that was how her Gran felt.

"I do not regret my children Sookie. But I do regret the pain that I surely caused your grandfather. I only want you to be more cautious. The supernatural world is not something to be handled lightly."

Sookie thought back to the events of the past night and she knew that her Gran spoke the truth. She needed to move more carefully. "I feel like I have a split personality Gran. The woman that married Eric a thousand years ago wants only to be at his side."

"And how do you feel Sookie?"

"He scares me, what he brings out in me scares me. It is exciting and wonderful at the same time." She looks up from her food, "I love him Gran."

"Is that enough to make it work?"

"I could have never been with a regular guy Gran. It wasn't just because of the telepathy. I realize it now. I was looking for him all along. I have to make it work." Even if it kills me.

"I know you will follow your heart dear, I only ask that you listen to your head too." Adele got up and took Sookie's empty plate to the sink. She could tell that Sookie had forgotten to eat when she was with Eric. If that didn't stop she would have to have a talk to Eric herself.

"Thank you for telling me the truth Gran. I need to get going to work."

"That's a beautiful headband dear. Did he give it to you?" Adele had been so worried about Sookie she only just now noticed it.

Her face brightened, "Yes he did. I'm glad you like it." She ran her fingers along it lovingly.

Adele remembered the gifts that Fintan had left her. They were beautiful too.

"The Descendants of the Glorious Dead are meeting with Mr. Compton tonight Sookie. So I won't be home when you are done working. You are more than welcome to come to the meeting though."

Sookie blushed remembering what Bill had seen last night. "I don't think that would be a good idea Gran. Thank you though. I'll probably just come home and catch up on my sleep."

Sookie went to work exhausted physically and mentally. She couldn't believe the story that her grandmother had told her. She would have to ask Eric about fairies, she suspected that her Gran did not know much. Just thinking about Eric made her miss him all over again. It wasn't even dark yet though so there was no chance for her to see him until later.

Sam assaulted her with questions as soon as she went to put her things in the office. "Are you okay Sookie?" She could see him looking at her neck carefully. "I was worried about you and your Gran wouldn't tell me what was going on."

"Well as you can see, I'm fine Sam." She even twirled a little so he could see. She had checked her neck in the mirror and she knew that there was only the barest hint of a mark left of what Eric had done. "I appreciate your concern but I'm a grown woman and I can take care of myself."

"Not around vampires you can't!" His hatred almost radiated off of him.

"Why don't you let me worry about that Sam? It is really none of your business who I fall in love with." She turned to leave.

"You love him?"

She realized her mistake too late but there was no going back now. "Yes, Sam, I love him. Did I need to clear that with you first?"

"Oh Sook, what are you doing? Don't you know that vampires are incapable of feelings? They only use humans." His eyes pleaded with her to reconsider. "Please, you don't know what you are doing." He moved toward her. He had meant to give her a hug, but he could see the fire in her eyes.

Sookie saw that Sam was moving in closer and she quickly backed away. "If you knew what was good for you, you would not touch me Sam Merlotte. He will hurt you, do not doubt that."

"And you are okay with that Sookie? You are okay with dating someone who would hurt anyone that so much as touched you?"

"You would be surprised at what I'm okay with Sam. You don't know me as well as you think you do, you only know the side that I show everyone here at work. If you have a problem with my personal life you can stuff it. I could get a job somewhere else you know? I don't need to put up with this crap from you every time I come to work. You know Eric wanted to kick your ass when you had a cow on the phone yesterday. I should have let him I guess."

"Eric Northman?," Sam almost came out of his skin. "Sookie please don't tell me you are with Eric Northman."

She narrowed her eyes, "Good, you know him. Don't tempt him Sam." She stormed out of his office.